Today we’d like to introduce you to Benjamin Bill.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My life has been a crazy journey as a high school teacher, rap artist, and father. I never thought my work would take me to Miami, Florida. Being from Lorain, Ohio, and working at a high school in the city, I always thought I would be stationary.
Though my earliest days in music started with piano lessons, it eventually took a turn to cassette tapes, beats, and cassette players when recording my rhymes. I got back into the art after a college football injury. With time to spare, I started writing and recording music in my friend’s attic.
It originally started as a hobby, but my friends and I found success at an early age and stage in our career. It was amazing to go from an attic to a major radio play and stage in front of 20,000 people.
As my teaching career progressed so did my rap career. Over the past few years, I’ve traveled back and forth to Miami, recording at Bay Eight Recording Studios (home to platinum plaques of Marc Anthony, Ricky Martin, and Thalia among many others).
I’ve been able to film music videos throughout the Versace Mansion, Little Havana, Wynwood, and South Beach. It’s almost like I have two homes now with my rap career taking off in Miami.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Working in the music industry is never a smooth road.
There are plenty of ups and downs, and hustles and scams. I’ve had bad recording deals, music shelved, missed opportunities with bigger companies, and many broken promises along the way.
Those are just my musical problems, not including my personal life. A lot of young death plagued my life from my friend group. With those struggles came wisdom and knowledge though.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a high school teacher and baseball coach, and rap artist. I’m most proud of my hard work and dedication to both of my passions.
It’s hard to find balance when giving my all to education and music, but I make it work. It’s a blessing to impact lives through education and the microphone. What sets me apart is my passion and drive.
There are not too many teachers that are also professional rap artists. I try to intertwine both passions into my daily life. I love breaking the stigmas of rap artists and teachers.
We all have different ways of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success is the ultimate happiness. Finding something you are passionate about, love it, mold it, and give your gift to the universe.
That’s a success. Our world likes to base success on numbers and I completely disagree with that logic. I wake up happy and feel successful because I’m living my dreams every day, whether my work is in a classroom, baseball diamond, music studio, or stage.
Success is living your life out in happiness and doing what you love to do.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @Benjamin_Bill
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/BenjaminBillFour40/?_rdr
- Twitter: @Benjamin_Bill
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCfxmpfeALPFdfbOsHxHEbRA
Image Credits
Brett Vance (High Art) and John Vergara (John V. Media LLC)
